The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) will raise the fees it charges for various services in the telecommunications and technology sectors, effective from April 1, 2025. According to a notice in the Government Gazette, Icasa will implement a 4.4% increase across its entire services portfolio.
This fee hike includes type approvals for communications equipment, administrative fees for service licence applications, radio frequency spectrum licensing fees, and renewal and annual fees related to unreserved postal services. “Icasa will increase all [licensing and application] fees by 4.4% based on the average consumer price index, effective April 1, 2025,” stated Icasa Chairman Mothibi Ramusi in the notice. As a result of this increase, the cost of type approvals for telecommunications and terminal equipment will rise from US$332 to US$346.3 For kits categorised as “untested variant” and “tested variant,” along with provisional type approvals that previously cost US$166, the new fee will be US$173.
Additionally, the costs for various miscellaneous approval-related procedures will also increase. The fees for amending and transferring service licences for electronic communication networks, electronic communication, and broadcasting services will increase from US$4,173 to US$4,356.98. Renewal fees for all three licence types will rise from US$417 to US$435.69. Regarding radio licence spectrum fees, the unit price per megahertz (paired) will increase from US$166 to US$173. Furthermore, the minimum cost for a satellite hub station will rise from US$4145.3 to US$4327.6.
